Tannoy Stirlings on the way!

@trentmemphis

The Stirlings are rated 91dB, so it’s an 8dB discrepancy on paper! I do appreciate that the Tannoy sensitivity specs indeed seem legit. I've noticed and enjoyed the greater efficiency when moving up in the line (91 to 93 to 96).

I tilt my Canterbury up a bit, and use a good amount of toe-in. It works for me, and sounds great. The image height is perfect. Stands tall enough to do the same job would mess with the aesthetic, and possibly introduce more resonance issues if they’re not extremely well made (heavy!).

I use HRS Nimbus spacers - basically solid aluminum hockey pucks with a small lip on top & bottom to accept the couplers - of differing height to create the tilt. The stock Canterbury GR spike feet & cups fit right in there.

I don’t see how a coaxial driver with symmetric dispersion and phase coherence (at the crossover point) is going to care at all whether tilted up or down or straight ahead. The bass response may be affected with tilt vs. stands, as it changes the bass driver’s coupling and proximity to the floor, but I don’t see why stands would necessarily be an improvement here either. I love the bass I get now.

Random thought: maybe those who love the stands have inadequate isolation for their components, and benefit from the decoupling effect of pedestal stands?

I'll have to look into those HRS Nimbus spacers.  At the moment I still just have a book stuck under the fronts.

@trentmemphis I am new here but looking at the Stirlings at upscale audio. I also have the McIntosh MC152 amp paired with a C50 pee amp. After your apparent two years with these are you still happy? 

I tend to listen to Jazz old (Miles, Thelonius, Mingus) and new (Jon Batiste and Amy Winehouse) along with 70's and 80's rock; do you think these will work for me?

Hello, there, and welcome!

I'm very happy with that combination, yes.  Being a restless audiophile, I want to try it with tubes, but the Stirlings sing wonderfully with the Mac gear we own.

I listen to 70s/80s rock only rarely, but lots of golden era jazz.  The Stirlings are a very good match for that, and I think they'll do just fine with the rock material, too, depending on how big your room is and how much bass you like to have.  If you want tons of thump and your room is medium-large or bigger, you probably want to step up to the Turnberry, or supplement with a sub, which is what I did (although I already had the subs).  The Stirlings produce plentiful bass, and it's good bass, but they aren't going to stove your chest in when John Bonham stomps the kick.

As for the electronics, they're the only ones I've heard the Stirlings with.  Maybe they're capable of much, much more with other gear; I wouldn't know.  But I have been listening to speakers and electronics for a long, long time, so I do have some idea what things should sound like, and I like what I'm getting.

Best wishes with the purchase!

@trentmemphis thank you for taking the time to write back and the thoughtful answer.